Real Madrid faces a tough test against Galatasaray on Tuesday as it chases its first Champions League win of the season, report agencies.
Madrid is in last place in Group A after losing 3-0 at Paris Saint-Germain before barely saving face in a 2-2 draw with visiting Club Brugge. Group leader PSG visits Bruges as it bids to maintain its perfect start.
Coach Zinedine Zidane’s preparations are far from ideal for Tuesday’s game in Istanbul after his heavily rotated squad surrendered its Spanish league lead on the weekend in a 1-0 loss at Mallorca.
Last season’s worries were supposed to disappear after Zidane returned to take over Madrid’s dysfunctional team. But the problems have continued through an expensive summer rebuilding campaign and an unconvincing start to the Spanish league.
Injuries haven’t helped. Luka odric, Gareth Bale, Toni Kroos and Lucas Vázquez are all doubtful for the game against Galatasaray.
Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has faced heavy criticism amid questions from supporters over why he was preferred to Keylor Navas, who joined PSG in the offseason.Navas will hope to maintain another clean sheet for PSG in Bruges, which is unbeaten in six Champions League games.
Madrid surrendered first spot in La Liga on Saturday with a 1-0 loss at Mallorca leaving them second behind Barcelona. Despite the defeat, Los Blancos have made an encouraging start to the 2019-20 La Liga campaign, although their form in the Champions League has been disappointing to say the least.
A PSG side without the likes of Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani beat them 3-0 in their Group A opener on September 18, before Club Brugge claimed a point at the Bernabeu on October 1.
Zinedine Zidane's side are far from in a terminal position, but the back-to-back games against Galatasaray are hugely important ahead of what is shaping up to be a huge home clash with PSG on November 26.
Last season was actually the first time since 2009-10 that Madrid had failed to reach at least the semi-finals of the Champions League. What's more, they have lost three of their last five games in the competition, conceding three or more goals in each of those defeats.
That said, Los Blancos have triumphed in 14 of their last 23 away matches in Europe, while they recorded a thumping 6-1 victory over Galatasaray when they last travelled to the Turkish giants in September 2013. Meanwhile, Galatasaray are actually without a win in their last seven Champions League matches, which is not a run of form that will fill their fans with too much confidence ahead of Tuesday's affair. The Turkish outfit opened their Group A campaign with a goalless draw away to Club Brugge before losing 1-0 at home to Paris Saint-Germain.
The back-to-back matches against Madrid will ultimately determine whether Fatih Terim's side are capable of making an impression in this season's competition, but they have lost each of their last five Champions League games against the Spanish giants, conceding 10 times in their last two defeats.
